An amateur photographer has managed to snap a picture of one of the astronauts stranded upon the International Space Station (ISS) right now, and it was from the safety of her home over 250 miles away.
Space is the perfect place for a photographer, as not only are there a near endless stream of breathtaking views, but you’re also likely to be grabbing a shot of something that barely anyone has ever seen before.
Many have questioned why you can’t often see the full extend of space, but this has led to some of the most iconic photographs ever taken, often with another astronaut right at the center of the frame, but one amateur photographer down on Earth might just have captured one of the rarest space-related photographs so far.
As reported by Live Science, Oxford University screening scientist Charline Giroud managed to capture an incredible photo of the International Space Station as it flew over her home in Oxfordshire on January 30 – only it also features one of the astronauts that has been stranded there for over 240 days.
The staggering photo was able to capture Suni Williams working away outside of the ISS (Charline Giroud)
Sunita “Suni” Williams, alongside Butch Wilmore, has been stuck up in the ISS since June last year after their Boeing capsule suffered technical issues, preventing them from returning back to Earth after the initially planned eight-day trip had ended.
The pair have gone through a number of challenges including health scares, extreme exercise regimes, and worries about returning back home, but this photo offers a remarkable contrast to the frustration they’ll have likely gone through.
Giroud used her very own small telescope to take the picture, outlining in an interview with Space Weather: “Suni Williams can be seen at the end of the robotic arm, while Butch Wilmore was working next to the Quest airlock platform in the shadow of the station, making him unfortunately not visible in the picture.”
We’ve been able to see plenty of the pair in their eight months in space, but these images certainly stand along amongst the rest.
Williams and Wilmore have been stranded at the ISS for over 240 days (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“I was very lucky to capture this event under clear skies with my telescope from my hometown,” Giroud further illustrates, adding that “it was a fantastic moment.”
It’s a miraculous sight to come across over 240 miles away from the ISS, especially after Williams broke the record for the longest non-consecutive space walk by a female astronaut. Add that to a new record, as she’s now the first female astronaut to be photographed on a space walk from the ground!
It’s likely going to be one of the last moments that someone like Giroud would be able to capture an image like this too, as President Trump has issued Elon Musk and SpaceX to ‘go get’ the pair as soon as possible. Featured Image Credit: MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO / Contributor / Getty
Source: Unilad Tech
